Typewriting-instruction machine



0. J. HANSON. TYPEWRITING INSTRUCTION MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-22. I920.

Patented July 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 II II II II II II OSCAR J. HANSON, or ran-e0, NORTH DAKOTA.

TYPEWRITING-INSTRUCTION MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July a, 1922.

Application filed November 22, 1920. Serial No. 425,780.

To aZZ to how it may concem Be it known that I, Osoaa J. HANSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fargo, in the county of and State of North Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Typewriting Instruction Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for giving instruction in the touch system of typewriting and has for its objeet'the provision of a machine having a typewriter keyboard and a system of key levers which are spring supported and which are connected with letter bars carrying letters or type faces normally concealed from view but movable to be dis played through a sight opening in a partially enclosing casing when a key is depressed, the idea being that the student may operate the keys just the same as the keys of a typewriter so as to become familiar with the proper finger movements, the movement of the type faces into exposed position serving as a guide whereby the student may ascertain that he is striking the proper keys;

An important object is the provision of a device of this character which is designed to have the same practical effect of operating a real typewriter in so far as the proper finger movements and positions are concerned, a feature being that the keys are preferably blank so as to avoid the natural tendency to write by the sight system.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character for initial instruction in touch system typewriting which will possess the advantage of being far less expensive than a real typewriter so as to be within the reach of students required to purchase a machine and to reduce the cost of instruction in schools and the like by obviating the disastrous wear and tear produced on a real typewriter by the practice of novices.

An additional object is the provision of an instruction device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in construction, which is extremely unlikely to get out of order, which will be eflicient for the purpose intended as well as durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view machine,

Figure 2 is a front elevation,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view showing the keys in normal position,

Figure 1 is a similar View showing a key depressed and a letter bar elevated, and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken to the rear of the key board and looking toward the back of the machine. Referring more particularly to the drawmgs, I have shown my device as comprising a suitable frame of rectangular form includmg a rear portion 10 and a front portion 11. As much of the rear portion as desired may be enclosed within a casing 12, the warmest portion of which is elevated, as shown at 13, to provide a rearwardly and upwardly inclined wall 14 which is formed with a sight opening 15 formed as a longitudinal slot. This frame is preferably supported upon rubber legs or feet 16 held in place by counter-sunk screws 17, as clearly shown. Rising from the frame and extending transversely thereof at substantially it's intermediate portion is a vertical plate 18 formed with a plurality of slots 19 corresponding in number to the number of key bars of astandard typewriter. Extending transversely of the frame in vertical spaced relation and immediately in front of the plate 18 are upper and lower stop bars 20 and 21, respectively, for a purpose to be described, and extending transversely of the rear portion of the frame at the casing portion 13 is a bar 22, the reason for which will be made apparent.

Extending transversely of the frame between the back thereof and the vertical plate 18 is a rod or shaft 23 upon which are pivoted levers 24 and 25. These levers extend through the respective slots 19 in the plate 18 and have their forward ends upturned, as shown at 26 and 27, respectively, and carrying keys 28 and 29. The keys 28 are arranged in exactly the same manner as the key board of a regular typewriter but are preferably left blank, that is unprovided with any of the indicia normally used on typewriter keys. The keys 29 correspond to the shift keys of a typewriter and are arranged at opposite sides of the key board in the standard manner. The numeral 39 of my complete designates a vspace bar, the ends of which carry levers 31 likewise pivoted upon the shaft 23. Connected with each of the levers 21, 25 and 31 are coil springs 32 which are disposed at the rear of the plate 19 and which have their upper ends connected with small hooks 33 carried by the plate 18 and thepurpose of these springs is to hold the various keys or key levers under proper tension so that one touching them will have the same feel as the keys of a typewriter. The transverse bar 20 above described servesas a stop for limiting upward movement of the various key levers and the bar 21 serves as a stop for limitin downward movement of the levers when tlie keys are depressed.

Extending transversely at the extreme rear of the frame is a shaft 34 upon which are pivotally mounted type or letter bars 35 corresponding to the various keys 28 and these letter bars carry suitable type faces 36 which are normally concealed from view by the casing wall 14. The levers 24 extend rearwardly of the shaft 23 a considerable extent and are located immediately beneath and in contactwith the letter bars 35 so that when a key 28' is depressed the rear end of the associated lever will engageand elevate the associatedlever bar 35 so that the type face 36 thereon will be displayed through the slot 15 so that the operator may ascertain that h is striking the proper key.

In the operation of the device it will be seen that the student places his hands upon the key board and manipulates his fingers to depress the various keys in the sequence and manner prescribed in courses of typewriting instruction by the touch system. It is not intended that the student should always watch the display of type through the slot- 15 as this is intended only as a guide at the beginning, though of course reference may be had thereto at any time to ascertain whether or not accuracy is being attained. It will be observed that the shift key levers 25 and the levers 31 which carry the space bar terminate at the shaft 23 as there is of course no necessity for the employment of any type bar in association therewith.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a device'which will have the same advantages in construction as a typewriter but which will be extremely simple and inexpensive in construction and very unlikely to get out of order.

lVhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus claim:

A device of described my invention, I

the character described comprising a casing having an upwardly extendthe casing, depression of a lever resulting in upward movement of the type bar associated therewith whereby the type will be visible through said slot.

In testimony whereof I aflix OSCAR J.

In signature. rfiiNsoN. 

